UNITED NATIONS: The UN Security Council has approved a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, including the formation of a multinational International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to secure the territory and supervise its demilitarisation.
The resolution — backed by 13 members, with Russia and China abstaining — represents the most significant international framework for Gaza’s post-war administration since the conflict erupted in October 2023. It won broad support from the UK, France, Somalia, and several key Arab and Muslim-majority states.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the decision as an “important step in consolidating the ceasefire,” while emphasising the need for immediate implementation and progress toward a political path leading to a two-state solution.
Under the plan, the ISF will work alongside Israel, Egypt, and a newly trained Palestinian police force to secure border areas and permanently disarm non-state armed groups, including Hamas.
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said the force would be tasked with “dismantling terrorist infrastructure, removing weapons, and ensuring the safety of Palestinian civilians.”
The US says several unnamed countries have already offered personnel for the mission.
Hamas and Other Reactions
Hamas rejected the resolution, warning that the ISF’s mandate amounts to “international guardianship” over Gaza. The group said giving the force responsibilities related to disarmament “strips it of neutrality” and aligns it with Israeli interests.
Russia and China, while allowing the vote to pass, criticised the lack of clarity around the ISF’s composition, the limited role assigned to the UN, and the absence of a stronger reference to a two-state solution.
The resolution also creates a Board of Peace (BoP) — a transitional governance body expected to be chaired by Trump — to oversee an apolitical Palestinian technocratic committee, reconstruction work and humanitarian operations.
Rebuilding Gaza after two years of war would be financed through a World Bank-backed trust fund.
The Palestinian Authority welcomed the vote but pressed for “urgent and immediate” implementation.
The plan’s first phase — a ceasefire and the exchange of hostages and detainees — took effect on 10 October. Waltz described the progress so far as a “fragile first step.”
The war began after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. More than 69,483 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli military action since then, according to Gaza’s health authorities.
